The Dickinson press., 1887-12-17
SLANG OF THE STAGE.
VIGOROUS LANGUAGE WHICH THE
COMMUNITY ADOPTS.

The Lower the Grade of Actor the Moro
Slang He Uscs-.i Long List of Words
and Phrases in Current Use Among the
Fraternity.
The stage not only has its peculiar slang
and ilomS. hut is charged with furnishing
more free and original language to the com
mmity than the community draws from amy
other source. Tho lower the grade of actor
I'll" more slang lie uses, andagroup of variety
peri lrl!r.s in conversation seem at times to
speat. in an unknown Tongue.
Tho actor seldom refers To himself us such;
lie is Il professional" OF y "fakir." If lie is
VERY la,l lie So,metinicS speaks respectfully of
himself :S an artist.
His clothes are his "war,rohc." An
'.aucivn, wardrobe" is for II 'dtr,S piece"
anal i~mclu,ir> everything from y Roman toSa
10 trunks and tights; II "molein wardrohc'l Is
fora clean shirt piece" and includes modern
l@instut only.
J. star or manager is known among his
company 10y some igrcvorcnt title, as his
Jas Ibis nits." her liihlrr>." 1.-The Ouch
,ss." ov "ila man wiki Il bead.
T..osr people Who ave delighted to he on
fami.iu- terms with actors. and especially
tlos, whu haunt stag doors for Il word or
smile it2:l actresses. are 'Gi!l!"S, "s'ilS,
guys" "yl@tsiv>,' 'ma>Acr>," 'cllnmpS,'
"luMhleal>"n an Jugs.
EAuN k!ni Of n lc,.l is an act" whether
connected WIKI tho stage VI NOT. II see
Smi.n has been doing the bare hodkin act"
u~l44!.. to- a cs,e Of suicide. "Cleseland'S
>i,...i. The veto act om them again" Lang
,. saw, ,ln, ,i-iy.nsiliM not. !" ..1nnpS
,r.c. the - borrow M at on ne this morn
IL" axe otA,r examples.
An actors character is his part" Ii it is
ee,rntric. Original IL groteSque. it is a Char
aet,r iart." Ii lac iS".l good study" lie mas
,els his iiue, with oA>e: ii he is - ital study"
Ii. .i.l!> HI, Wort: laloriaus. Alons Part is Il
.snakcr," n lively oie a "hulnmer or n
"scrvyri!cr," a poor one is 'bum or tart,
ore tina; is lett II his own discretion to supply
action j. q .l.kr part" a small one with good
oupor;u4i.ie> is Il bit" and men who play
that line ot characters are "hit actors" n
part i, "iat when it is sure 10 GO y part
is measured 10y 'lensths," n length being
tortv-two lines of written matter or blank
verse.
Action or, tile stage is "lu>in,>>," and the
word is also male To apply /" ether things.
An actor will re.er toa,i"bt, or IL watch, CT
Il house. OF Il book. OF lis dinner, or his land
la.ly. Us IL "Insitc~~."
The lines of business FIR which actors Ell
gaze are those of star, heavy OF lead, juve-
nil.. walking gentleman. light comedy, low
comedy. villain. eccentric, character, SOU
lrette. walhim. lady, responsible, utility,
ballet AMI SUPPLEMENTARY, or ">"pe."
An az, l. uncertain in his part is "shaiy i'll
hi, lines" wien he supplies words that do not
hel"us iii the text. until lie can rerollert his
lart. liz, is ''ii>hil,s tor his lines wien he sup
p.i,s lumor he "s,gs the part" when lie has
L. lciy on the rromnter and repeat the word:
nt;rr Linn H." wings the part. and when Ii
torse.s entirely he "%t.uies," "funks," flats
OF sticks"
y hotel is Il chuck mill" or "hashery;" s
small room is can u lodging room is 6
",;cu:" Il trunk IS a bumpers" clothes ar,
"t- and dads" Il hat i, 4 "%,icer" o.
ca iy;"a &C t: Isl topper" an o~vercoar is
r~n:' trousers are q kick" 4 >i.irt is
s.:Sl," >i.u.> are ">aateS:' a.! umbrella is
~-1.nr:" q ham Il, -e..iet is viz" . Gia
:non pin is Il ~ a-.;:" q ring is "eircie7."
Wien salaries arc riactua.lv paid. as the.
sometimes ar. in theatres, tn recipients sa,
taa. 'tne sloS. walks regularly" Whel
w4.es ara not forthcoming it is said tina
tn g,.os: is lead. Money is glue
sugar" .%'roci>.' nelly" ''brads' anc
win r~with." Silver dollars are iron dol
lars" "Luzzar;s," "p!uMaers," rollers ant
'wnites." Small silver coins are pegs"
B"er is ~conversatioM water" and 9Th,
snrmv." Wine is "cxli.larator," ''fizz' an,
.lca iarhe." Liquor is '',iynamice," Flush,
"pilel, ruby" hot stun care killer,
"pain killer ''hardware," ''alco' and "de
stroyer."
When aman is drunk he is 'lush," or la
been "eomnunins with SPIRITS y talking on
cargo" "hitting the ruby, y ''biting of NOR
than he can chew" ''hoisting the elegant,
"stulv!ng stakes OF "tamperinS with booze.
When tryin, to get trusted for a drink
man is 'lracimg the bar singing Il song.
'siinir; his jugs" and '.Sparring."
Ii lie walks from town to town the acto
ssi,oof, it, ties it, '~'collars the pike,
.'pounls sap out of the ties and "goes on hi
uppers."
Small companies in the back country dis
trirts are fly 10y nights, "water tank shows,
Jim Crows" 'cross r1ai concerns" or "bar
Stormers.f
An cxIrcsst train is a "nyer."a freight trai
"snaii," II passenger car u "velvet COACH"
!, berth i'll u sleeping coach lisa "hider." a steam
boat is q float" An omnibus is "rack;;'
, small carriage is "ny;Ta hack is a "close.
To die is to "croak, "'push clouds, "''plume,
: 'pass over" "go to that bourne ''wing
! light make an exit" $50 TO swell til
) chorus, ''cash ill.," 'hand in his part" an
: death is "thc last CURTIN. '-Brooklyn Eagl'
I. Nervous New Workers.
: The Vanderbilt boys, with the exception {
( the poetic George, are early riscrs, RAP
walkers and nervous i'll their movement